Mall Santa

"Welcome, everyone, to the daily morning weather," announced the anchorwoman, her voice projected on a large screen adorning the side of a towering building.

"Today's news is truly extraordinary," she exclaimed with excitement. "We had a snowfall last night, something we haven't experienced in over a decade!"

"So make sure you wear, your sweater if you're going outside today"

Perched on the rooftop of a tall building, Max sat engrossed in his phone, browsing through the news and checking the latest trends.

"Haha!" he chuckled, amused by the general jubilation. "Seems like everyone is elated, but it's disheartening to see that people's belief in Christmas hasn't changed," Max muttered, his tone shifting from excitement to melancholy.

Taking a deep breath, Max rose from his seat, trying to uplift his spirits. "Don't be sad; there are numerous ways to reignite people's faith," Leon declared, determination evident in his voice.

Max began pacing back and forth, pondering for a couple of minutes, searching for an idea. "How about stealing from the toy shop I work at?" he suggested tentatively but quickly dismissed the thought. "No, Santa wouldn't resort to stealing. I shouldn't either."

Gathering his thoughts, Max picked up his magic sack and decided to inspect its contents, eager to gauge the number of toys it held. He started pulling out toy after toy, repeatedly, until over 500 had amassed on the rooftop, a testament to the potential within the enchanted bag.

"This method is too slow," Max concluded, dissatisfied with the progress. Suddenly struck by inspiration, he unzipped the sack and curiously poked his head inside.

To his astonishment, Max found himself surrounded by a sea of thousands of toys. "Whoa! There are so many," he exclaimed, wide-eyed and amazed. Withdrawing his head from the sack, he remarked, "These must be the toys that the old Santa couldn't deliver," a hint of sadness tinging his words, as Santa had passed away due to humanity's dwindling belief, rendering him unable to fulfill his gift-giving duties.

"I know what I should do, but let's go home first," Max declared, anticipation evident in his voice. He leaped off the mall rooftop, nimbly hopping from one rooftop to another, making his way back to his house before effortlessly sliding down his own chimney.

"I'm starting to love this unconventional entry method," Max mused, amused by his own antics. After taking a refreshing shower, he dressed in a tight-fitting black jacket, a black t-shirt, and sporty black pants.

"It seems I'll need to find larger clothes," Max remarked with a tinge of pain, well aware of his financial constraints from working in a Christmas toy store that barely saw customers year after year. He hailed a taxi, his tall stature barely fitting within the confines of the vehicle.

"Look! That guy is so tall," remarked a passerby, awestruck by Max's height.

"It's rare to find someone that tall," another chimed in.

"He's quite handsome," a woman gushed, captivated by Max's appearance.

Entering the maze-like mall, Max unintentionally became the center of attention, drawing both men and women with his presence. Shaking his head, he ignored the whispers and attempted to catch his attention, resolute in his mission.

The mall boasted an impressive 125 floors, and Max made his way to the 30th floor to purchase some regular-sized clothes. After stowing them in his sack, he ascended to the 101st floor, slipping into a restroom to change into his Santa attire.

Standing before the mirror, Max splashed water on his face and cleared his throat, preparing himself for the role, by clearing his vocals.

He resumes back his practice. "All right, it's finally time," he whispered to his reflection, taking a deep breath.

"Ho, Ho, Ho!" Max attempted the iconic Santa phrase, his voice cracking slightly. "Not bad, but it needs practice," he encouraged himself, determined to perfect the jovial tone.

"Ho, Ho..." he trailed off, only to be interrupted by mocking voices behind him.

"Look at this clown, still trying to be Santa," one sneered.

"There's no more Christmas," another taunted, their words filled with disdain.

Max caught a glimpse of the punk-looking man and woman in the mirror's reflection, but he quickly turned away, ignoring their presence. Picking up his sack, he exited the restroom, determined to fulfill his mission despite the discouraging encounter.

As he walked through the mall's bustling center, Max approached an old, dusty Christmas chair and a withered tree, paying no heed to the whispers of those who observed him.

Delicately, Max wiped down the chair and tree, taking a seat and allowing himself a moment to reflect on the excitement and anticipation that lay ahead.

"Mom, look, it's Santa!" a little girl exclaimed, pointing excitedly at Max.

"Don't pay attention to him, there is no more Christmas," her mother sternly replied, forcefully pulling her away.

"Mom, I want to go see Santa," a young boy pleaded, his eyes filled with wonder and eagerness, pointing towards Max.

"Okay, honey, let's go. I have a feeling it will be worth it," the boy's mother relented, finally giving in to his enthusiasm.

With a burst of energy, the young boy dashed towards Max, his eyes brimming with anticipation.

The young boy arrived in front of max.

With a gentle and kind-hearted tone, Max warmly welcomed Alex onto his lap. "Well, hello there, young man," Santa said with a jolly smile. "And what might your name be?"

"I'm Alex," the boy replied, his voice filled with awe. "I've been really good this year, Santa. I promise!"

Max chuckled, his white beard quivering with delight. "I'm sure you have, Alex. That's wonderful to hear. Now, tell me, what can Santa bring you this Christmas?"

Alex took a deep breath, looking into Santa's eyes, feeling a sense of comfort and trust. "Santa, what I really want for Christmas is a brand new pair of roller skates. I've been practicing at the rink near my house, but my skates are old and slow me down. I dream of gliding smoothly and swiftly like the wind. Oh, and I would also love a toy car, but the roller skates mean the most to me."

Max listened intently, his eyes brimming with compassion, relishing the opportunity to bring joy to others. "Roller skates, huh? That's quite a wish. And why do you desire them so strongly, Alex?"

The boy's face lit up with excitement as he spoke. "You see, Santa, when I skate, I feel like I'm soaring through the air. It makes me feel free like I can do anything. There's this girl at the rink, Sarah. She's incredibly talented, and we've become friends. If I had new skates, maybe I could keep up with her, maybe even race her someday!"

Max nodded, understanding the significance of Alex's wish. Memories of his own joyous moments spent roller skating with friends flooded his mind. "Ah, the power of friendship and the thrill of competition. Roller skating sounds like a marvelous way to bring joy and connection into your life, my boy."

Alex's eyes sparkled with hope. "Do you think you can bring them, Santa? I promise I'll keep being good and make the most of them."

Santa gently patted Alex's back. "Alex, my dear, I will do my best to make your wish come true. Remember, sometimes the most magical gifts are the ones that help us pursue our dreams and discover the wonders within ourselves."

"But for now, I can give you this toy car," Max added, reaching into his magic sack and pulling out a wrapped gift that surprised even him. Although wrapped, he had glimpsed its contents with a witch seems like a magical X-ray vision of a plastic toy car inside.

Max handed the gift to Alex, who couldn't contain his excitement. "Thank you, Santa!" the young boy exclaimed, filled with joy and gratitude.

With newfound enthusiasm, Alex hopped off Santa's lap, thanking him for his kindness. As he rejoined his family, he couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of hope and possibility.

"Remember, Alex, always believe in Santa and the spirt of Christmas," Max called out with a warm smile, his heart swelling with happiness.

Reflecting on their conversation, Max felt the warmth of the Christmas spirit growing stronger within his heart. He realized that his role as Santa went beyond simply granting wishes; he had the power to inspire and encourage children to chase their dreams, igniting the fires of passion and determination within them.

A shy little girl approached Max, her voice barely audible. "Hi, Santa," she murmured.

"Hello, little girl. What's your name?" Max greeted her with a kind smile.

As the day drew to a close, Santa closed his eyes for a moment, envisioning the smiles he had brought and the joy he had instilled in the children's hearts. And in that fleeting moment, Max knew that he was on the right path spreading the spirit of Christmas and rekindling belief, one wish at a time.